Studies & Degrees in Respiratory Care
Respiratory care, also called respiratory therapy, is the health profession that assesses and treats people who have trouble breathing. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), patients range from premature infants with undeveloped lungs to older adults whose lungs are diseased, with conditions such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Respiratory therapists interview and examine patients, run diagnostic tests such as pulmonary function tests and blood gas analysis, give treatments that clear the airways, and set up and monitor ventilators for patients who cannot breathe on their own.
As a separate degree subject, respiratory care is mainly a North American field. In the United States it is a licensed occupation with its own programme accreditation and national exams, and most of the schools listed under this subject are there.
What students learn
The BLS summarises the typical curriculum as courses in human anatomy and physiology and in therapeutic and diagnostic procedures and tests, plus clinical components in which students treat patients under supervision. Programmes are therefore split between campus and hospital. At Tacoma Community College, for example, students complete classroom and laboratory work on campus and gain clinical experience in affiliated clinical sites. The Ohio State University places its students in central Ohio healthcare centres, including its own Wexner Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital.
Many programmes are selective. Tacoma Community College describes its programme as selective entry, with prerequisite courses that must be completed before the application closes. The BLS advises high school students to take biology, algebra, chemistry and physics.
Qualifications and levels
- Associate degree. This is the typical entry-level qualification in the United States. The Respiratory Therapy A.A.S. at Tacoma Community College is a full-time programme of seven instructional quarters, about two years and 100 to 104 credits. Idaho State University offers a two-year Associate of Applied Science and an accelerated Associate of Science track.
- Bachelor's degree. The BLS notes that some employers prefer candidates with a bachelor's degree. The Ohio State University has taught respiratory therapy since 1971 and offers it as a baccalaureate programme.
- Degree advancement and master's programmes. Working therapists can add a bachelor's or master's degree later. Idaho State University lists a Respiratory Therapy BS as a degree advancement option.
The Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC) accredits entry programmes at associate, baccalaureate and master's level, as well as degree advancement and advanced practice programmes. It only accredits programmes physically located in the United States and its territories.
Credentials and licensing in the United States
Graduates sit the exams of the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC). Until the end of 2026 the first step is the Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) Examination, with 160 multiple-choice items taken over three hours. It has two cut scores: the low one earns the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential, and the high one also gives access to the Clinical Simulation Examination, which leads to the Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential. The NBRC also publishes the outline of a single Respiratory Therapy Examination, effective January 2027, with 185 multiple-choice items over four hours and the same two cut scores for CRT and RRT.
Candidates need at least an associate degree from a programme supported or accredited by CoARC. The NBRC states that foreign respiratory therapy education does not qualify for admission to the TMC Examination, so international students who want to work in the United States should study in a CoARC-accredited programme. Respiratory therapists must be licensed in every state except Alaska, and requirements vary by state.
Where to study respiratory care
SpainExchange lists 36 schools for this subject: 32 in the United States and one each in Spain, Australia, Ukraine and Russia. In the United States the subject is taught in English at community colleges, such as Tacoma Community College in Washington, and at universities, such as The Ohio State University in Columbus and Idaho State University in Pocatello.
Outside North America the same work is often organised differently, and the title and legal scope of the qualification change from country to country. Ask each school which professional title its qualification leads to and where it is recognised.
Careers
Respiratory therapists held about 142,000 jobs in the United States in 2025, according to the BLS, and 80 percent of them worked in hospitals, in areas such as emergency rooms, critical care units and neonatal intensive care units. Others work in nursing care facilities, physicians' offices, sleep laboratories and home care. Because hospitals never close, shifts can include nights, weekends and holidays.
The BLS projects employment of respiratory therapists to grow 9 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 8,600 openings each year on average.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to become a respiratory therapist?
In the United States the typical route is an associate degree of about two years, followed by the NBRC exams and a state licence. Bachelor's programmes take longer.
What is the difference between CRT and RRT?
Both are NBRC credentials. The CRT is earned at the low cut score of the national exam; the RRT requires the high cut score and, under the rules in force until the end of 2026, a pass in the Clinical Simulation Examination.
Can I take the NBRC exams with a degree from another country?
No. The NBRC states that foreign respiratory therapy education does not qualify for admission; candidates need at least an associate degree from a CoARC-accredited programme.
Do respiratory therapists need a licence?
In the United States, yes: all states except Alaska require one, and the requirements vary by state.